Demountable cutting and mixing wagon

ABSTRACT

A body ( 1 ) for cutting and mixing wagons for plant products is disclosed, comprising a base ( 2 ) with a plurality of walls ( 3   a   , 3   b   , 3   c ) defining a room ( 4 ) adapted to receive the plant products to be cut and mixed through one or more screws arranged inside the body ( 1 ). The walls ( 3   a   , 3   b   , 3   c ) are removably connected to each other and to the base ( 2 ) through connection means ( 7, 8 ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a demountable cutting and mixing wagonof the kind used in agriculture and zootechniques for grinding andmixing plant products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is well known that in agriculture and zootechniques the waste plantproducts arising for instance from plant pruning, vegetable or fruitharvesting or forage and ensiled grass or straw, are cut and mixed toproduce blends that are used as compost or animal food.

The cutting and mixing wagons of the prior art used for the abovementioned objects, comprise a body of general prismatic shape, providedat the top with an opening for loading the products to be cut and mixedand a side opening for discharging the cut and mixed material.

For the grinding and mixing operation the body is provided at the bottomwith a couple of screws parallel to each other and arrangedlongitudinally, held by support means and rotated by a driving unit.

Each screw consists of a cylindrical core on which two spirals arewound, having opposite winding directions converging to the center.

The screws are also provided on their periphery with a plurality ofremovable cutting members for grinding the product.

A drawback of the cutting and mixing wagons of the prior art consists inthat the body once assembled has a considerable overall dimension.

This makes the transport operations difficult and also expensive,especially when the wagon is shipped through a container or truck whichhave such a size as to be able to contain at most a couple of cuttingand mixing wagons.

One can easily understand that the transport cost weighs considerablyupon the cost of the cutting and mixing wagon, more particularly whenthe wagon has to be shipped far away or overseas.

The present invention aims at overcoming said drawback.

The object of the invention is to provide a body for cutting and mixingwagons that can be demounted into its components, so as to require lessspace when transported.

The above object is attained by a body for cutting and mixing wagons forplant product, the main features of which are according to the mainclaim.

According to the preferred embodiment herein described, the body basecomprises a bottom surface bounded by boards for defining a room of agenerally parallelepipedal shape in which the screws are arranged.

Preferably the bottom is so shaped as to define a couple of juxtaposedtroughs, one of said screws being arranged in each trough.

The walls defining the body room are removably fixed to each other andto the base defining boards through connection means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above mentioned objects and advantages will be better understoodfrom the following description of a preferred embodiment of theinvention which is given as an illustrative and non-limiting examplewith reference to the accompanying sheets of drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the assembled body of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows the lower part of the body of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the walls of the body of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows a detail of the body illustrated in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 shows the detail of the connection means between the upper partof the body illustrated in FIG. 2 and one of the walls.

FIG. 7 shows a fragmentary view of the side wall fixed to the sideboard.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIG. 1 the wagon body of the invention generally indicatedwith reference numeral 1 comprises a base 2 with a plurality of walls 3defining a room 4 in which the products to be cut and mixed throughscrews arranged in base 2 are received, said screws being not shown inthe drawing but of a kind known per se.

As to said base 2, FIG. 2 shows that said base consists of a bottomsurface 5 possibly so shaped as to match the contour of the screws,bounded by side boards 6 a, a front board 6 b and a rear board 6 c, saidboards defining a room of a generally parallelepipedal shape in whichthe screws are arranged.

As to the walls 3, FIG. 1 shows that said walls comprise a couple ofside walls 3 a, a front wall 3 b and a rear wall 3 c, which according tothe invention are removably connected to each other and to the basethrough connection means.

More particularly the rear wall 3 c is preferably made of severalportions.

With reference to the FIGS. of the drawings and more particularly toFIG. 1, one can see that said connection means comprise: firstconnection means generally indicated with numeral 7 removably connectingthe front wall 3 b and the rear wall 3 c to the corresponding frontboard 6 b and rear board 6 c as well as to the side walls 3 a; secondconnection means generally indicated with numeral 8 removably connectingthe side walls 3 a to the corresponding side boards 6 a.

With regard to the first connection means 7, FIGS. 2 and 3 show thatthey consist of fins 9 made by bending generally at right angles thelower and side edges of each front wall 3 b and rear wall 3 c.

Through holes 10 are made in said fins and are adapted to receivefastening means consisting of screws or rivets, which are inserted intocorresponding further holes 12 made in the front board 6 b and rearboard 6 c and the side edges of the side walls 3 a.

On the contrary with regard to the second connection means generallyindicated with numeral 8, one can see particularly with reference toFIGS. 4 to 7 that they comprise a first shaped edge 13 longitudinallymade on each side board 6 a and provided with an outwards convex surface13 a adapted to match the corresponding concave surface 14 a of a secondshaped edge 14 made longitudinally on the lower edge of each side wall 3a.

Each first shaped edge 13 is preferably fixed to the corresponding sideboard 6 a through weldings 13 b.

Each side wall 3 a is fixed to each side board 6 a at said shaped edges13, 14 through fastening means consisting of bolts 15 passing throughsuitable holes 16 made in the second shaped edge 14 and threaded tocorresponding nuts 17 previously arranged on the first shaped edge 13during the constructional stage as shown in FIG. 7.

Plain flanges 18 are provided in the side walls 3 a and have one or morethrough holes 18 a matching corresponding holes 19 provided in thecorresponding side board 6 a so as to allow insertion of furtherfastening means such as screws for further stiffening the connection.

From the foregoing one can see that the wagon body 1 can be easilyassembled or disassembled.

The various elements constituting the wagon body, when disassembled, maybe arranged in a horizontal position stacked on one another inside thebase 2 that forms in this way the element containing both the screws andthe walls of the body.

In this way the overall dimensions are considerably reduced and thewagon body may be easily transported requiring a considerably lower roomin comparison with the space that the body would require if the relevantwagon is shipped in the assembled condition.

It is clear that in the operative stage the wagon body of the inventionand more particularly the connection means for its elements may haveshapes different from those described and shown in the drawings.

Moreover also the elements constituting the wagon body may have shapesdifferent from those described and illustrated in the drawings.

It is however to be understood that such possible different embodimentswhen falling within the scope of the appended claims are to beconsidered as covered by the present patent.

What is claimed is:
 1. A body for cutting and mixing wagons for plantproducts comprising: a base having a bottom surface bounded by boards,said base defining a room of generally parallelepipedal shape where neor more screws are arranged for cutting and mixing said vegetablefibrous products; a chamber defined by a plurality of walls suited toreceive the vegetable fibres to be cutted and mixed, said walls beingremovably connected together by first connection means and said boardsbeing removably connected to said walls by second connection meanswherein said second connection means consist of a first shaped edgelongitudinally made on each side board and adapted to match acorresponding second shaped edge longitudinally made on the lower edgeof each side wall, said shaped edges being arranged for receivingfastening means, said first shaped edge having an outward convex surfacematching a corresponding concave surface of said second shaped edge. 2.The body according to claim 1, wherein said boards comprise a frontboard and a rear board between which a couple of side boards parallel toeach other are arranged, and said walls comprising a front wall and arear wall between which a couple of side walls parallel to each otherare arranged.
 3. The body according to claim 1, wherein said firstconnection means consist of fins made on each front wall and rear wall,said fins being provided with through holes matching corresponding holesmade in the front board, rear board and the side edges of said sidewalls, said hole being adapted to receive fastening means.
 4. The bodyaccording to claim 1, wherein said first shaped edge is provided withnuts so arranged as to match corresponding holes made in said secondshaped edge, said holes and said nuts being adapted to receive saidfastening means.
 5. The body according to claim 4, wherein each of saidfirst shaped edges is fixed to the corresponding side board throughweldings.
 6. The body according to claim 1, wherein said side walls areprovided with plain flanges, said plain flanges being provided with oneor more through holes matching corresponding holes made in thecorresponding side board, said holes being adapted to receive fasteningmeans.
 7. The body according to claim 1, wherein said fastening meansare screws.